R 261724Z JUN 13
ALCGPSC 073/13
SUBJ: LAUNCH OF THE OFFICER SPECIALTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (OSMS)
A. Coast Guard Officer Specialty Management System Manual, COMDTINST
M5300.3 (series)
1. This message announces the launch of the Officer Specialty
Management System (OSMS) for all officers. OSMS provides the
framework within our Officer Corps Management System for specialty
management. It will provide great benefits to our workforce
planners, program managers and officer corps workforce as a whole.
OSMS provides a means to quantify the number of specialists in select
fields and assists our service with meeting current and future
demands. This system provides visibility in Direct Access (DA) on our
workforce by specialty. Our workforce planners, in conjunction with
program managers, can now work from the same data set to track,
measure, and position our workforce to meet billet demands.
2. In addition to improving the macro management of our workforce,
OSMS also offers the following advantages for our officer corps:
A. Fosters and focuses professionalism within specialties with
sanctioned requirements set by Specialty Managers providing the
competencies, education, training, and licenses/certification needed
to earn and maintain a given specialty.
B. Allows for the use of the Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master (AJM)
tool to further refine specialties and set higher standards of
professionalism throughout our officer corps.
C. Provides our junior officers with clearly delineated pathways
towards specialties, and provides a means for specialty program
managers to advertise and explain their specialties with the use of
the Officer Specialty Requirements (OSR) form, CGHQ-5318.
3. This message also announces the formal grandfathering of many
officers into OSMS. Last summer, each O4 and above were allocated an
initial assignment of an Officer Specialty Code (OSC). In addition,
PSC assigned OSCs to many Direct Commission Officers and CWO to
Lieutenants. The goal was to provide a sound starting point for
launching OSMS. Nearly 3,900 Active-duty Promotion List (ADPL) and
550 Inactive-duty Promotion List (IDPL) officers received OSCs. OSCs
are visible on the Employee Summary Sheet (ESS) under Specialties.
4. Starting today, I recommend all officers review their ESS and all
applicable OSRs to ensure accuracy of assigned specialty codes. Any
officer not assigned an OSC who meets the requirements set forth in
an OSR may apply for the specialty codes. Those officers
grandfathered into OSMS must meet any future changes in an OSR.
Future changes to an OSR will be announced to the field via an
ALCGOFF message.
5. This message cannot summarize all aspects of OSMS. I highly
encourage each officer and commanding officers to read reference (a),
specifically Chapter 4 to learn the processes for adding or deleting
OSCs. We are entering an initial operating condition for OSMS, with
an available window to update specialty codes. Take the time to
review the system, the manual and be familiar with its purpose. The
integration of OSMS into personnel decisions will evolve over time.
We realize that a final operating condition for OSMS will take time
to achieve, founded upon a high level of accuracy with assigned
specialty codes.
6. PSC-OPM-3 is the Program Manager for OSMS and their CGPortal and
internet sites are the primary repository for all matters OSMS
related. The sites contain the central repository for all OSRs as
well as links to the manual, a list of specialties, forms, training
aides, a user guide, and much more. PSC-OPM-3's internet website is:
http://www.uscg.mil/psc/opm/Opm3/opm-3OSMS.asp
7. OSMS should not be confused with Enhanced Status Quo (ESQ) which
the 2010 Coast Guard Authorization Act permitted to facilitate
promotion of critical service specialists. A mature OSMS is a
pre-requisite for the service before ESQ is considered. Any use of
ESQ will come by recommendation of the Assistant Commandant for Human
Resources, and approval by the Commandant.
8. POC for OSMS is Mr. Brandon Chittum, (703) 872-6467, or
Brandon.F.Chittum(at)uscg.mil.
9. RDML Dave Callahan, Commander, Personnel Service Center, sends.
10. Internet release authorized.